Antioxidant PropertiesThe study reveals medical evidence which links the typical traditional diet of the Greek island of Crete with a slowing down of mental decline in old age, meaning that the diet could help to reduce or eliminate the effects of diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The study involved periodic tests of mathematical and word memory skills over a period of time, and it is claimed that the results are potentially indicative that a Cretan diet can be a factor in slowing down the mental aging process. It is further suggested that the reason for this is the prevalence of antioxidants in the Mediterranean diet, which is the staple diet on Crete.

Great TasteFruit and vegetables are typically rich in antioxidants, which form the heart of the results of the study. But the diet of Crete offers other health-giving properties; visitors have become familiar with the traditional Cretan and Mediterranean diet, which is low in saturated fats, and this has also led to an appreciation of the flavours in the food. The diet typically contains plenty of olive oil, and organic estate-bottled olive oil from the islands of Crete and Zakynthos is building a growing following in other countries, as people return home from their Greek island holidays with a renewed taste for the local cuisine